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US 5,396,141 AGranted
Radioisotope power cells
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsScott D. Jantz, Thomas J. Aton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical power source or power cell (10) includes a semiconductor material (12) having an N region (14), a P region (16) and a P-N junction (18). A radioactive source (24) associates with P-N junction (18) and emits energy or radioactive particles (26) into semiconductor material (12). In semiconductor material (12), electron-hole pairs are formed in N region (14) and P region (16) to cause electrical current to pass through P-N junction (18) and produce, therefrom, electrical power.
Claims5
A radioisotopic power source comprising:
- a substrate of semiconductor material, said substrate including integrated circuitry formed therein;
- a trench formed in said substrate;
- a PN junction formed along the wall of said trench;
- a first power lead connected to the P portion of said PN junction;
- a second power lead connected to the N portion of said PN junction;
- and
- a radioactive source deposited in said trench.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.